USA FIRST PRESSING VINYL ALBUM IN GATEFOLD SLEEVE WITH COMPANY INNER SLEEVE.

MATRIX:  SIDE A: WS-1877 39759-A-1A [Artisan logo] B-1 1 S 1 S; SIDE B: WS-1877 39760-B-1B [Artisan logo] A S 1.

SLEEVE: VERY GOOD+, SOME SHELF, CORNER, EDGE AND RING WEAR. INNER SLEEVE HAS TAPE REPAIRS ON EDGES.

DISC: VERY GOOD+. NO SCRATCHES BUT THERE ARE SOME PLAY SCUFFS, HAIRLINES AND FINGERPRINTS. CLEAN LABELS.

Why buy a first or early pressing and not a re-issue or a ‘re-mastered’ vinyl album?

First and early pressings are pressed from the first generation lacquers and stampers. They usually sound vastly superior to later issues/re-issues (which, in recent times, are often pressed from whatever 'best' tapes or digital sources are currently available) - many so-called 'audiophile' new 180g pressings are cut from hi-res digital sources…essentially an expensive CD pressed on vinyl.  Why  experience the worse elements of both formats?  These are just High Maintenance CDs, with mid-ranges so cloaked with a veil as to sound smeared.  They are nearly always compressed with murky transients and a general lifelessness in the overall sound.  There are exceptions where re-masters/re-presses outshine the original issues, but they are exceptions and not the norm.

First or early pressings nearly always have more immediacy, presence and dynamics. The sound staging is wider.  Subtle instrument nuances are better placed with more spacious textures. Balances are firmer in the bottom end with a far-tighter bass. Upper-mid ranges shine without harshness, and the overall depth is more immersive.  Inner details are clearer, the music tends to sound more ‘alive’ and vibrant and you 'hear' what the mixing and mastering engineers wanted you to hear when they first recorded the music.